Explosion
by arkmj
Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec and an attack on T.C. Max finds things very different. But whether they are good or bad, she begins to wonder.
1. Fight

**Explosion: Fight**

**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

* * *

_**Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

"I can't believe you did a run without my consent!" Max raged as Alec continued to ignore her, which only fueled her further into a pit of rage. "You stupid worthless imbecile! I wish I had just let your head explode!" That did it.

"First of all bitch, you were too busy making mooky eyes at that damned ordinary that your worship! The run needed to be done and since I'm technically 2nd in command, I made the decision! No one got hurt fatally! Second of all, I **didn't** ask you to save my life! You did that and ever since then you've held it over my head, **literally!**" Alec's eyes, that were usually laughing, were blazing in furry and would make anyone wise to back down. Unfortunately Max wasn't and didn't.

"You are a fuck up, an anomalie!" She retaliated, "you've been nothing but trouble since Manticore! I wish I had never met you or saved your sorry pathetic ass!"

"Fine, wish granted," he muttered right in her face, then turned rigidly and walked away from her, while also getting the last word in. still standing in her place, Max felt her self snarling at his retreating back and her anger just grow. She really wished everything she had just said was true.

But before that thought could go any further a large explosion racked through the already tormented buildings of the Freak Nation. "ATTACK!" Some shouted over screams and shattering metal and rock.

"IN COMING!" Another voice came out just before another explosion hit another end of T.C. Immediately in defensive mode, Max started helping her fellow transgenics and getting ready for the raid that was sure to follow.

Sure enough familiars followed, clearing the protection gates that surrounded the Transgenic city, and once they landed they were met with very pissed off people. The battle began.

How long had she been fighting? Max didn't know. It seemed like hours and millions of mindless faces blurring in front of her as she fought of the snake cultists. Occasionally she was able to see how her comrades were doing, from what she could see they were holding their own, and winning. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of Alec in pure solider form fighting. In fact that was one of the last things she saw before everything went black.


	2. Conscious

**Explosion: Conscious**

**

* * *

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

_**

* * *

Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

Max felt herself slowly rise from being unconsciousness. How she knew this was because she was going from a nice relaxed deep feeling to a splitting head ache and the putrid smell of familiars surrounding her. When she finally opened her eyes she saw thick black clouds moving over her and heard distinct yells of her fellow comrades giving orders. What didn't accompany these things was the sound of ammunition rounds going off or the unmistakable sound of death emitting into the air. No these were missing, which could only mean that the battle was over with, for today anyways.

Blinking a few times Max moved her fingers to see if she was dead, nope she was alive and moving. Moving her legs to bend her knees she couldn't help but groan in pain, 'Fucking Familiars,' she cursed in her mind as she slowly sat up. For the first time she realized that she was laying on a pile of rubble of sharp rocks, her back felt like a wild animal went nuts on her back. No question that she was likely bleeding through her thin t-shirt. Looking at her legs her jeans looked like they might as well be shorts. Clutching her head Max felt dizzy and achy, and once again cursed the Familiars.

For the first time since reaching the land of consciousness, Max looked around her. Familiars were rounded up, transgenics were bustling around to restore order and there was large amounts of rubble laying everywhere. Slowing standing to her feet, she took a minute to gain balance. Easier said than done. Continuing to see what was going around her, Max looked to see if there were casualties on their end, but it was hard to tell. So her next inspection was to look for Alec. Sure enough she spotted him through the black clouds and rubble. Giving orders and organizing things, doing his job. She had to give him credit, at times like these he didn't screw up at anything, except for pissing her off. But that was so common and expected it didn't seem to really count anymore. Smirking a little, Max thought of how Alec would probably think she was nuts or seriously injured if he knew she was thinking such things, especially after their fight earlier.

Steadily walking, Max headed towards Alec to get an up-date on anything and everything. When he saw her coming he didn't bat an eye, which was uncommon, but usually after fights he usually just rolls his eyes at her and then continues on working. "What's the update?" She asked reaching her second in command. Alec just turned and faced her with a blank expression.

"100 Familiars attacked, 23 dead, 15 critically wounded, 25-30 minor wounds the rest are in restraints and in holding." He sounded like he was sounding off at military, he never sounded this way. Odd. "10 transgenics have been reported critically wounded and are being tended too, around 15 others are wounded but not serious, no casualties. Anything else ma'am?" Max blinked for a moment, why was he acting this way.

"Great, sounds like you have everything under control," she complimented as they started walking towards the command center, or so she thought. "Look Alec about earlier-"

"What about earlier?"

"I admit I was out of line about the run, I shouldn't have gone off on you, especially in front of the others." Looking at Alec, Max was greeted with a massive confused look on his face.

"What are you talking about?" Alec asked seriously.

"The fight we had earlier, about the supply run you did without my consent. I went postal on you," Max outlined.

"I don't know what you're talking about Max, we didn't talk earlier today."

"Yeah we did, in command!"

"Why would I be in command? I work on security detail and supplies." Alec was extremely confused.

"Alec I know I'm a bitch sometimes and you like to joke around, but this is getting ridiculous. I'm trying to apologize and you're acting immature! Can't we just get past the fight and be friends like we usually do? Why wouldn't you be in command? You're my second!"

"Uh, Max are you ok?"

"Huh?"

"You just asked us to be friends," Alec raised an eye brow, "we aren't friends Max. we hardly even talk to each other. Your second? That's Case, I just work security detail and supplies. I think you need to get checked out in med, I think you hit your head." He recommended seriously.

"What?" Max couldn't believe this, usually if Alec was pulling a joke on her he'd stop by now. But he didn't seem to be joking, instead very serious. "Ok, what did I tell you about Ben that night in my apartment?"

"What are you talking about? Who's Ben? I've never been to your apartment Max, again you should get checked out at med bay." With that Alec turned to walk away.

"What was my second choice to name you besides 'Alec;?" Alec turned around and faced her.

"You didn't name me Max, there was no second choice," he said seriously before turning again and walking away.

Max felt dizzy again, something wasn't right. Alec didn't know her, or she didn't know him. What was going on? Running to command she found her office the way it always was, messy. On the other side of the office sat Alec's desk, but it wasn't messy. Instead very clean and straighten. "Hey Max," a voice came from behind her. Turning around Max was greeted with Case, an X-5 who was apparently her second, not Alec. "You ok?"

"Yeah why?"

"Ran into Alec, he said you were saying some off things. Like you two being friends and some fight you guys had today."

"Why is that off?" Case looked at her curiously before letting out a little laugh.

"You two friends? You have barely said more than 4 sentences to each other since we've been here."

"So we never talk?"

"No, only time you talk is when you're checking security information or explaining a supplies run, if he's been chosen as an operative." Case looked worried, "are you ok?"

"Case something is wrong," Max whispered looking out the window of command where you could see the bustling life of Terminal City. "Before the attack Alec and I were friends, comrades. Last thing I remember is fighting a familiar and seeing Alec doing the same, next thing I know everything was black and then I woke up to this place." Case walked over to Max.

"Max that is some weird, and likely vivid dream, but I'm not lying when saying you and Alec have never been friends. You hardly acknowledge each other when you guys are in the same area.


	3. Gift

**Explosion: Gift**

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

_**

* * *

Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

For days Max went through the motions at T.C. not knowing what motions really to do. She wasn't in **her** Terminal City, she was somewhere else. Sitting at her desk she stared out the window and watched familiar faces move around the once ghost town. One, very, familiar face she saw was Alec's, talking with Dix across the catwalk at the computer mainframe area. Reading Alec's body language she could tell he was relaxed and in a good mood. He was smiling and slightly laughing as he and Dix talked. Watching this play out before her, she couldn't help but remember the times she had been apart of similar interactions at Crash, Jam Pony or even here at T.C. Seeing this made her homesick and wish things were the way they are suppose to be.

_'How do you fix something when you don't even know what it is? I have a fight with Alec and immediately following that there is a fight with the Familiars. When I wake up from being knocked out, I find myself in world where Alec isn't my friend or even associate. We are nothing to each other, and this hurts so much.'_ Letting out a defeated sigh, Max didn't realize that Case was in the room, or even know that Case was watching her watching Alec.

"You know watching someone from afar usually means one of two things. One the first person is pining with love for the seconds attention or two the the first person is stalker. So which category are you?" Case asked, startling Max from her thoughts. "You still on about you and Alec?" Max didn't look at her 'second in command.' instead she continued to stare. "Max let's take a break and walk, now." At Case's tone of voice, Max turned and stared at the transgenic. Seeing that Case was wearing mask the screamed there was no room for argument, she relented and got up and walked out of command. "Talk."

"What?"

"Talk. Tell me what's bothering you? Something has been majorly off with you since the fight, with the familiars," Case clarified looking at Max with a pointed look.

"Before the Familiars attacked, I was in a world where me and Alec were friends, who fought all the time. We had a blow out and then we fought against the familiars. Next thing I know everything I know isn't what it seems." Case nodded and continued to listen.

"Max, what was Alec like, in your "world"?"

"Smart ass, that's why he got named 'Alec' for being a smart ass. I named him that when we were back at Manticore and suppose to be breeding partners."

"Well hate to break it to you, that isn't Alec."

"What?"

"You and Alec were never breeding partners," Case informed as they came to an abrupt stop.

"But..."

"Max you and Alec never met each other at Manticore, you guys didn't meet until after Manticore burned down, you met at Jam Pony. Had mutual friends but were never friends."

"Who was my breeding partner?"

"Me." Case answered, Max swallowed hard. "We didn't do anything, we became friends, sort of. After you burned the base down, we met up when the transgenics and the freaks started to migrate to here in the city."

"So how did Alec get his name? I mean he is a smart alek-"

"No he's not Max," this stopped Max in her sentence and looked shocked. "He keeps to himself for the most part. He works hard and is friends with people, but for the most part is cut off from the rest. Manticore did a real number on him, like they did on a lot of us."

"Am I considered a traitor?"

"09'er you mean? Yeah you are, and probably one of the main reasons you and Alec never struck up a friendship. He's a twin of-"

"Ben."

"Yeah, I guess. After you guys took off the twins got the brunt of the punishment. You never said why you didn't like Alec, I just always assumed it had something to do with your brother." Max closed her eyes and looked at the ground. Nothing was making sense.

"I'm going to my apartment, talk to you later." Case didn't say any thing or move, he just let Max walk towards her apartment.

She hadn't been home for more than 5 minutes before she started feeling claustrophobic. She needed to be somewhere high and free. Since Terminal City lacked the the Space Needle, she would settle for her apartment building. Like had many times before. Walking up the stairs, Max felt tension instantly start leaving her body as she reached the roof top. Once she was outside, the cool air and light breeze began soothing her as her mind began to race. Everything she had experienced in the past with Alec didn't really happen. Alec was another person, he wasn't her Alec.

Laying her chin on her knees Max stared on into Seattle, listening to the sounds of the surviving city. Out in that city were her friends, her best friend Cindy with her current honey and Sketchy getting into trouble of any kind, well at least in her world that is. Here she didn't know, she didn't know a lot of things and she didn't like that.

She sat there for awhile, lost in her thoughts and memories that shouldn't exist, before her mind finally gave up and started to shut down. Realizing her self-exhaustion, Max stood and got ready to leave, it was then she heard a soft drifting of a melody ride the wind. Closing her eyes she listened to the music intently, it was familiar, very familiar. Snapping her eyes open it hit her, it was the song Alec had played at Joshua's that night in the basement, that sad and moving piece. Thinking of this made her retract, what if it wasn't Alec playing it? What if it's someone else she was suppose to know? Someone who was there that night, if that night even happened?

Curiosity getting the best of her, she listened to see where the music was coming. Seeing it was from the neighboring building, she jumped to that roof top and went to investigate. Walking down the narrow steps from the roof made the music resound and bounce off the walls as she got closer. The piano and pianist were on the first floor she hit from the roof, a wide open floor that had yet to be turned into apartments. There in the middle of the room sat the piano with someone moving furiously over the keys, while their head moved with the music, as if it was moving with each and every note being played. Because of the playing of shadows and lack of light, Max couldn't see for sure who was playing so she slowly crept to the playist. She couldn't have been anymore than a few yards from them before they abruptly stopped and stood, causing the single stool they had previously sat on fly across the floor. Jumping back and getting in a defensive stance, Max waited. "Didn't you ever hear that curiosity killed the cat?" It was Alec, her Alec. She could tell just by the voice, it held that cocky ring to it.

"Alec?" She questioned with hope.

"Yes and no," he replied shrugging his shoulders as he turned to face her. Leaning his against the piano he seemed so relaxed.

"What?"

"You see I am Alec, but I'm not." Alec replied smiling at the obvious confusion on her face. "Kind weird isn't it. Waking up to find everything different from when you closed you eyes? A little freaky?" He asked motioning with his hand.

"If you aren't Alec then who are you?"

"I'm...Well let's call your fairy god-mother-father-whatever! This is a test Max, a test just for you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever wonder what things would've been like if all those things you had wished came true? The things like never meeting someone or an event never happening? What would the world today be like for you? Come'on you have had to of wondered! You've definitely stated many a times that you wished something hadn't happened or was different."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well here's your chance, your chance to see what things were like if you hadn't met Alec that day in your cell at Manticore. Instead of Alec, someone else was there, leaving you and Alec to cross paths later and never be anything more than passing bodies in a bustling metropolis of transgenics." Alec responded pushing off the piano and walking towards her with his swagger that she knew so well. "What's wrong? Don't like it? But just before the attack you stated, quote un quote that you wished you had never met or saved Alec's sorry ass. Isn't that right? Well here you are, you didn't meet Alec, not the Alec you come to know, so there for you didn't have to save him, ever." Max froze and stopped breathing as Alec reached her and circled her like a hunter on it's prey. "This is a test for you and only you Maxie."

"Who are you?"

"I'm a gift," and with that he was gone before her eyes, the piano no longer there either. Instead she stood alone in the open room shaking. What had she done?


	4. Drinks

**Explosion: Drinks**

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

_**

* * *

Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

She jerked her head up, she wasn't in the building anymore. She was on top of her building again, in the same position she had been in for a long time. "I fell asleep," she whispered to her self, running her hands through her hair. It was a dream. Blinking a few times Max stood up and stared to her left where the building, in her dream, had held Alec and the piano. Hearings Alec's voice echo in her mind she couldn't resist jumping over there and going to investigate, to see if there was indeed a piano or even Alec there. The stairs were exactly as she remembered, and they lead to a room that was exactly as she remembered, minus the piano and Alec. Walking to the center of the room and she slowly turned in a full circle, taking in every detail of the shadows and light that filtered the room. "He's not here," she whispered to herself, almost as if she was trying to convince herself of the fact.

"Who's not here?" A voice boomed from above, looking up she saw someone walking along the rafters with grace and ease.

"Who's there?" She shouted moving her weight on the balls of her feet, ready to move in an instance. They moved over a few rafters, away from her before jumping down. "Alec?" There stood Alec, this world's Alec. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same, but then again from you recent actions in the last few moments I'm guessing you were looking for someone." He threw back walking past her towards the door.

"Hey!" He stopped and turned to face her, not wearing anything on his face. "How did we meet?"

"Jam Pony, I got a job there and you recognized me to be Manticore. We exchanged a few words and went on our merry way in life." He replied evenly.

"We were never friendly?"

"No I guess you say we weren't," he answered.

"I..." she wanted to talk to him, but at the same time she didn't. She wanted to talk to her Alec.

"If that's all I gotta go."

"You never said why you were here!" She threw out lamely, as if she was desperate for him to remain in her presence just a little longer.

"You, because of you. You assigned me to evaluate this building and figure out what it be most useful for. I was assessing the structure when you crept in and started talking to yourself." This time he didn't stick around for more questions, he left out the door and she remained in her spot.

The feeling of the wind in her face felt amazing, more amazing that anything in the world as she whipped her way through the streets of Seattle. She reached her destination in no time, her old apartment with Cindy. Hopefully she was still here, Max really needed to talk to her.

Knocking on the door lightly, Max waited for some one to answer, sure enough Cindy did and wasn't a least bit surprised to Max. "I had a feeling you'd be by sometime soon, Boo. Come on in," she motioned her best friend and started some coffee. "What's on your mind Boo?" She asked.

"I think I'm going crazy," she stated simply sitting on a stool. Cindy looked at Max and then put the water in her hand down.

"You're gonna have to be a little more specific boo, because that don't me nothing." Taking in a deep breath, Max relayed the last few days to Cindy, and when she was done Cindy sat in silence, taking in everything that had been let out. "So you get attacked and wake up in a world that you and Alec were never friends, when you remember you two being friends. Then you have some funky dream about getting your wish come true. Damn boo, when you get screwed you get screwed up majorly."

"Yeah, and now I don't know what to do. I want everything the way it use to be, I want to be friends with him again."

"Is there anything else that is different?"

"No, not that I've noticed. Why?"

"Just things associated with Alec, right?" Max nodded, "Boo, did you ever think there might be more to this situation that what you think there is?" Max furrowed her brow in confusion, "why do you want to be friends with Alec so bad? From you've told me he drove you the brink of insanity? Now you don't have to deal with that, what else is there that you aren't telling me or aren't realizing yourself?" This got Max thinking, what was it? Was there more that what she thought?

"I don't think so," she said slowly, trying to think hard.

"Besides Alec being annoying and unreliable, what else is there to the guy?"

"He cares, even though he won't admit it. He cares about the other transgenics, he does extra things to help others. He always had my back on Eye's Only missions. When I told him about Ben, he didn't flinch or judge, just accepted it and was there for me when everything was going wrong for him. When I lied to Logan he didn't tell Logan the truth, about us not really being together. He always made me leave command if he thought I had been there too long and wasn't eating or sleeping enough. One time he just picked my seat up, with me in it and took me out of command. I punched him a for week for that." Smiling at the memory Max turned to her friend, "I miss our friendship. Yeah he drove me nuts, but miss being able to kick back and talk about things that no one would understand, like Manticore or the familiars. Just talk and know that whatever I say I'm not being judged or going to regret it in the long run."

"But it seems you have said somethings you regret now, haven't you?" Cindy asked. She had, like the quote Alec said to her in her dream, the entire fight from that day. All those times she had been hurtful to the happy go lucky psychopath when he didn't do anything to retaliate. At least until that day, he had fought back with venom like she had so many times before. "Boo I hate to say this with you not so sure and all, but I think you're in love with the boy and too afraid to admit it."

"What?" Max exclaimed at the ludicrous idea. She wasn't in love with Alec, Alec of all people. Not possible. Cindy just stared at her. "Oh god," she whispered suddenly feeling very sick. Blurring to the bathroom, all her stomach contents left her body into the porcelain. Cindy just remained calm and held her hair away from her face and handed her a cool towel to clean her self up with. "Oh god, Cindy...I'm in love with him aren't I?" Cindy smiled and nodded.

After losing all her food and talking to Cindy, Max had decided she was going to make things right, some how. After that night of talking to Cindy, Max slowly watched Alec in Terminal City, taking in how he acted and schedule. For the first part of her plan she'd have to get to know him from afar and slowly. And that's how things went for the few weeks, occasionally they crossed paths and exchanged words, but nothing significant. Max's first big break, literally, was when the watering system in her building went to hell. The pipes rusted and corroded from age busted and drenched the building, from the change in pressure the pipes leading to the building broke through the beaten concrete and water sprayed everything near by. Once the water and pipes were contained the damage throughout the building caused everyone to be displaced. Until everything could be fixed. This reminded Max, "Alec!" She shouted over all the commotion, turning at his name being called Alec faced Max with surprise. "The building over, is there an damages from the pipes?"

"No, why?" He asked.

"Do you think anyone could live there for awhile?" Alec thought for a moment before realizing where Max was heading.

"You want to move all the tenants there?" Max nodded, "yeah that could work. The top floor is the only one that is cleared and cleaned up."

"That's fine, go find Case tell him the plan and get him to find any bed rolls and cots we have available." Nodding, Alec took off to find the second in command. Max turned to all the displaced people of her building as the workers as they attempted to clean up the mess. "Alright everyone, we have a place for you all to stay until everything if fixed. Go through your apartments and find anything you need or can salvage from the water!"

At the end of the day, after setting almost 70 bed rolls, cots with curtains for privacy, Max was exhausted and had a splitting head ache from all the complaints that had come her way during the course of the day. Rubbing her temples she watched as the tenants of her building set up their temporary areas of the open room. Originally she hadn't thought of curtains for privacy, that had been Alec after he had heard people complaining to her. He hadn't cleared it with her or Case first, just did it and it subdued any more complaints. "You ok?" Alec asked walking up to her.

"Yeah just tired. Guess shark DNA only goes so far when water pipes break." She joked rubbing the tired muscles in her neck and shoulder. "Everyone situated?"

"Yeah, Case is going through your building with some others to see what can be fixed to stop anymore waterfalls from the light fixtures in the future." Max laughed at that and nodded.

"You did good, and thanks for saving me on the whole privacy deal. Curtains are a blessing!" She thanked as they walked out of the room towards stairs leading to the street. Alec just nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets of his pants, a thing he always did when he was thinking of something but not sure he was going to share. Reaching the street the two remained quiet before Max broke the ice, "know where I could find a beer around here? After today I feel like I need a cold hard drink." Max joked thinking of Crash.

"Uh, I have some at my apartment, you're welcomed to it." Alec offered almost shyly, this was a big difference from what she was use to. Smiling and nodding her head, Max followed Alec to the other side of the city where he was located.

Max didn't know what to expect when she reached Alec's apartment, but whatever she was expecting she wasn't greeted with it. Maybe she was hoping it'd be like her Alec's apartment, which was next door to her apartment, well use to anyway. Alec's was always slightly messy, eating utensils on any available surface, alcohol lining the counter with sniffers and shot glasses in the shelves that were lined with pieces of paper with girls lipstick color, bra size and phone number. No Alec's apartment here was clean and sparse. "Make your self at home," he invited as they walked in. he immediately headed to his tiny kitchenette to grab the previously mentioned drinks. Seeing a simple table set as the only sitting arrangements available, she smiled lightly as she grabbed a chair and turned it backwards so she could straddle it. Something she found more comforting.

Soon enough Alec walked back into the small area with a glass, scotch bottle and a bottle of beer. "Where'd you this?" She asked after to took a nice cold gulp of the beverage.

"Last run I was on, had some extra time to grab a few extra. Silin and I found a locker nothing but this stuff and decided we had earned it." Alec replied pouring himself a glass of scotch. Nodding Max took another sip of drink.

"So you prefer scotch over beer?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" She didn't know why she was asking but for some reason she actually was genuinely curious. In all the time she had known Alec, he always drank the harder stuff.

"It's harder," he replied staring at his glass, "after Manticore, I tried the beer and any other drink. I wanted something that would make me think I could drown my sorrows and memories. Even though I can't, but just the thinking of it helped so I've always leaned towards the stronger alcohol content." He said before drinking some of the amber liquid. Max watched every movement, categorizing it in her brain-file named 'Alec'.

"Makes since," she replied.

"What about you?"

"I don't know. Just what everyone else was drinking so I drank it, discovered I liked it. And I guess like you, I wanted something that I could think about trying to forget the past, even if it isn't possible." Shrugging her shoulders she looked around the apartment.

"What'cha thinking about?" Alec asked after moments of silence. He watched her, taking in her actions. Ever since that day she had claimed they were friends he was curious about the leader of Freak Nation.

"Just thinking I guess. You ever wish things were different or wonder what things would be like if something hadn't happened?"

"Yeah all the time. It's called Manticore, Lydecker and Renfro." Alec joked and even smiling when Max smiled her self. "Aside from that, yeah I know what you mean. What do you wish hadn't happened?"

"I don't know really. Sometimes I think about what things would be like if I didn't do or see something, what would my life be like now? But then I think of everything else attached to it and I think I'd prolly miss those things." Looking at Alec straight in the eyes, Max watched as he thought a bout what she said. "What do you wish never happened or did or whatever?"

"Things. I don't know what in particular, just some thing. I try not to think too much about stuff like that. It's not like I'm going to wake up one day and things be different." Max froze at that comment, if only he knew.

"Yeah, right." She quipped trying to cover her action of freezing at his comment. Nothing else was said between the two as they finished their drinks. When Max was almost done with her beer her cell went off, it was Case.

"Max we got a problem here at command." Was all he said before he hung up.

"Guess you gotta go?" Alec commented as he poured another drink.

"Yeah, guess duty calls," Max said quietly staring at her phone. This was the part when Alec was suppose to gulp down his drink and take off with her to fix whatever was wrong. But then again, Alec was suppose to be and do a lot of things that he didn't do here. This was just one of them, on of those small acts that made her miss him even more. "Thanks for the drink, definitely hit the spot." Alec smiled and nodded as he stood up to show her to the door.

"Later Max," he said as she walked into the hall, nodding her head she walked away just as he closed the door quietly.

Sitting at the the small table Alec stared at the empty bottle across from him. Max's beer bottle still sat there, he had yet to remove it. Things were bothering him, she was bothering him. Ever since the attack she had been acting weird towards him, trying to get to know him, hell she was talking to him! Even when they were at Jam Pony or around each other, they never talked. Sure he had tried but realized quickly she had a bone to pick with him, why he didn't know, and decided to just leave her be. Even when they were with their mutual friends, they never shared time with each other.

At first it was weird, and it a way bothered him that she didn't want anything to do with him while she was openly friendly with others from Manticore. It wasn't until Terminal City started to grow that he heard whispers about Max's fellow '09ers, her siblings and his twin brother 493. apparently she had been particularly close to his psychopathic twin. That's when he realized that once again he was punished for his brother's actions or connections. Taking a swip from the scotch bottle he couldn't help but sneer at the thought of 493. the bastard had ruined his life continuously since '09, and even after and out of Manticore, he still paid retribution for him. _'Family, bullshit!'_ He thought acidly when thinking about how Max often referred the Freak Nation as a "family". Everyone but him anyways.

Leaning over the table, Alec picked up Max's empty bottle and flipped it in his hand a couple times, watching as the low light played off the tinted glass. He did this about 10 times before he suddenly chucked the bottle to the wall across from him and watched as the glass shattered. "Well that was relieving," he muttered himself before he took another swig. _'Tomorrow.'_


	5. Journal

**Explosion: Journal  
**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

* * *

_**Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

Following the night in Alec's apartment, Max thought about him even more than before, and it was driving her crazy. She was in love with a person that didn't really exist for her anymore, and the person who was there was barely an acquaintance to her, much less someone who might love her. Since that night of drinks, she had barely seen Alec much less exchange words with him. This made her antsy and even more crazy feeling. Luckily a lot of things needed her attention so her mind didn't get to drift to Alec as much as she would likely like. And anytime she did start to wander that way, in her mind, she'd reprimand her self and then figure that she had plenty of time to get to know him.

Alec on the other hand was racking his brain trying to figure out what Max was up to. Why was she suddenly wanting to be friends with him? After all this time, after he had tried repeatedly to be friends with her? Why now? But no matter how many times he racked his brain, he came up empty. After several wasted hours, that'd he never get back, Alec decided to not think on the subject of 'Max' and 'friendship' anymore. Also he decided if she started up her attempts again, he'd call her out on it and things of the past.

It wasn't even a day after Alec made his decision that Max showed up in his office area wanting to know if he wanted to go eat with her. "No thanks," he said abruptly, causing Max's light manor and smile to drop at his brush off. He didn't even pause at his work to look at her when she walked in, asked him or when he responded.

"Something wrong?" She asked genuinely upset and worried.

"I don't know, you tell me." Typing on the keyboard furiously, he continued to ignore the fact she was standing right in front of him.

"Ok...what's going on? Why are you acting this way?" That was it.

"What do you want Max? We've known each other for going on three years and suddenly you want to be my friend? Seriously what's the angle?" He paused his work and looked at her pointedly, this caught her off guard.

"I was just trying to be nice, Alec -"

"Bullshit!" He interrupted heatedly, "that's a load of bull and you know it! Suddenly you want to be my friend? Out of the blue? No, suddenly you want something so you decided to mosey up to good ol' Alec because you know he'd prolly do whatever you wanted for you?" Max swallowed as his eyes flashed with hatred, and his body language was coming in waves of not wanting her there.

"Why are you acting this way?"

"Because the last time you wanted to be "friends" with me, you needed something, just like anytime you acknowledge me, its for your bennifit!" Closing his eyes Alec took in a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair before running it over his face, "just leave me alone Max." He said more calmly, but she just stood there and stared at him as he turned back to his work.

"What did I do to you?"

"You seriously just asked me that," he looked her with a disbelieving look, "if you don't know then you're worse than I gave you credit for."

"I don't! Just tell me!" She said pressingly.

"Fine, you wanna know what you did? After Manticore went up in flames, I came to Seattle since it was the closest, figuring I'd fine some fellow alumni. I ran into you and realized you were the '09'er and followed you to JamPony where I proceeded to get a job and tried to get to know you." Standing up Alec walked towards the door, past her.

"Wait that's it? That's why you don't want me to be friends with you?"

"No, it isn't. When I tried to become friends with you repeatedly, you made it perfectly clear you wanted nothing to do with me. I was Manticore and represented everything you hated and didn't want to remember. When I started to walk after you to understand you immediate hatred, you kicked me into the nearest wall and said that was all the contact we'd ever have. That's why I want nothing to do you Max, because when I was wanting to go against all the brainwashing from Manticore, you being the 'traitor' you made it clear I was nothing to you." Max stared at him, "when you suddenly started to be friendly with me, I was skeptical but didn't say anything and went along with it. Turns out you needed me help with a heist, for Logan. I got shot and you chewed my ass out for being a screw up and messing up the heist, even though we did **get** what we needed. It was info on your "brother" Zach. Then you had me go around Market Street to help find him, and we did find him, with him trying to kill me. When you got through to him you walked away and never acknowledge my existence unless you felt like berating me. After while you just didn't acknowledge me all together, until the other day after the attack all the way up to today." Max felt like the world fell out from under her, "that's why I don't want anything to do with you Max, because the one time you did you just needed something and walked away."

"What about the JamPony seige?" Alec looked at her strangely.

"What about it? You gonna blame me for it now?"

"What happened, you were there."

"Yeah I was there, trying to help you, Josh, Mole and Gem. You dismissed everything I tried to do and when we got to home base here in Terminal City you continued on with your life, there no bonding or celebration between you and me." Alec just shook his head and walked out of the office, leaving Max to sit in everything he had just said.

* * *

"Boo, what's wrong?" Cindy finally asked after Max had curled up and said nothing for an entire hour.

"I messed up," she mumbled with her head burried in her knees that were covered in a blanket.

"Huh?"

"I went and asked Alec if he wanted to go to lunch today and he told me that she didn't want anything to do with me." Max replied hugging her knees tighter, "apparently I've been pretty shitty to him in the past and doesn't want anything to do with me much less be a friend." Cindy didn't say anything or do anything for a few moments, before she wrapped her arms around her friend. The two of them just sat on the couch like that until Max finally uncurled herself and rested against Cindy, where she eventually dozed off.

Few hours later Max made her way back to Terminal City where most of the residents were sleeping or working silently. Instead of going to her apartment she went to the top of the building and sat there to think. _'I'm in another universe where one of my best friends isn't my friend and wants nothing to do with me. I find out I'm in love with that said friend and now I'm more alone feeling than ever. When am I going to wake up from this nightmare and have everything the way it should be?'_ She thought to herself. Looking down at the street below she say Case walking out of headquarters with Mole, they were talking and heading towards the front of the city, probably to do some security checks. Taking her eyes off of them she saw some young X6s walking together talking animatedly about something, like things were suppose to be...for them. Closing her eyes, Max resisted the urge to cry. Everything was wrong, so wrong and there was nothing she could do to change it.

Realizing that sitting and thinking in the highest place wasn't going to do the trick, Max trudged her way to her apartment where she was greeted with nothing, absolutely nothing. Walking into her closet sized bedroom, Max fell face first into the crumbled bed sheets and blankets. When she rolled onto her side, something caught her attention. Over in the corner under some clothes was a leather bond book. Reaching, slightly, she picked it up and held it up. Soft black leather with a leather strap to keep it from opening. It was a journal. Untying the strap Max found her writing in the book. She kept a journal? Getting comfortable she decided to read her other best friend in the world and maybe get some insight in her world.

Unfortunately after an hour of reading, Max found herself being bored...by herself. Nothing was in the journal of intrest. Just rambles about the city, residents and things that were going wrong. Deciding to flip towards the front of the book Max found that she wrote about JamPony and her friends, nothing really interesting there either. Things about Logan and his crusade, Cindy and her new Boo's and Sketchy losing money, nothing different from her universe.

Finally she found an entry about Alec, her just meeting him.

_**11/2/2020**_

_**'Today I felt like the past was thrown in my face. Ben. I met his twin/clone whatever, he goes by Alec. Ran into him and knew who and what he was immediately. Didn't talk to him though, just kept doing what I was doing.**_

_**11/30/2020**_

_**'I thought I was done with him!. Nope! He gets a job at JamPony and has been trying to be friends with me ever since. I can't stand him!**_

Others followed the first two, her berating him or saying he annoyed her or she didn't mention him at all. It wasn't until she was months through the entries that one caught her attention.

_**5/15/2021**_

_**'I fucked up majorly!**_

_**Heat.**_

_**Alec.**_

_**Oh shit.**_

Max stared at the vague but very loud entry. Jack knifing off her bed, Max took for Alec's apartment. When she reached his apartment she didn't bother knocking, still a habit she was use to, and walked right into the apartment expecting Alec to be there. What she wasn't expecting was Alec walking out of his bathroom in nothing but a towel. "What the-" he started but stopped when he saw her and froze. "What are you doing here?"

"My heat," she started but didn't finish when his eyes grew wide and then something else happened. A X5 named Nadia walked out from the other room, dressed in an over sized shirt that could only belong to one other X5 in the immediate vicinity. "Oh..." Alec stared at her while she switched her gaze between him and Nadia.

"Max?" Nadia looked confused, "what are you doing here?" She asked looking at the leader and then to Alec, who had yet to acknowledge her. "Alec?" She asked in a slightly lower voice, full of skepticism.

"Uh..I...go," Max bolted out of the apartment.


	6. Heat

**Explosion: Heat**

* * *

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

* * *

_**Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

_**

* * *

**_Max ran. She ran like she had all those years ago, away from the pain of Manticore. Now she ran from the pain of Alec, the pain of seeing him with another girl. Even though her rational part of her mind told she and he weren't together, it didn't stop her heart's rational of he had hurt her and she should run. When she finally stopped, not out of breath, she looked at where she was. She was in the extremely run down area of T.C. These buildings weren't occupied at any rate, the perfect place to run and hide. Walking into the tallest she zoned into her own world as she walked automatically to the top of the building. Going through the motions of going to a high place to think, Max found a spot to sit and she began to feel again. Pain. Tears.

* * *

Alec stood at the window in his apartment and stared at the run down city. Once again he was thinking of nothing but Max. Nadia was asleep now, while he was wide awake. He wasn't in love with her by any means, and he doubted she was with him. But it was nice to have companionship with someone who understood where you came from, literally and figuratively. Crossing his arms over his chest Alec closed his eyes and began to remember.

* * *

Max was dry, she couldn't cry anymore. She felt dehydrated. Wiping away the last trace of tears she hugged herself and started thinking about her time with Alec, her Alec. The one who wasn't here anymore. She missed him. She missed knowing he was there no matter and she always had a place to go whenever she needed to vent or felt lonely. She knew, like herself, he had his moments of loneliness and would never outright say it.

"Not liking everything are ya?" Alec's voice rang out from behind her. Whipping around she saw him leaning against an air vent with a relaxed air around him.

"I'm dreaming aren't I," it wasn't a question, more of a statement to herself. Alec just smiled and watched her with his intense eyes. "So what now? Am I suppose to be learning the error of my ways or learn to right the wrong? What?!"

"Now Maxie what's wrong? You wanted this," Alec pushed off the vent and swaggered towards her. Max stood up in response to his movements and waited for him to reach her, "you repeatedly wished for things to be different, here you go! Why do you not see this is a gift?"

"Because it's not! I was angry when I said those things!"

"Ah...true you were, but it's often believed that in anger the truth comes through." He countered stopping and holding up his finger and shaking it to her, "or would it be a Freudian slip of the tongue?" Max just stared at him.

"Why are you here? Anytime you show up I don't understand what you want or who you are."

"I'm Alec, I'm the Alec you hate and love, in your mind's eye." Alec responded shrugging his shoulders, "you created this place, not me." Walking to the edge of the building a few feet away from her, Alec looked down, "interesting choice of place to come for running and hiding."

"What do you mean?" Max questioned as he smiled a smile that spoke he knew something she didn't.

"Your journal," he said simply before jumping over the edge. Running to look over, Alec was gone and Max was left with more confusion.

* * *

When Max woke up she was still on top of the building, glancing over her shoulder she saw the air vent right where it was before, but with no Alec leaning on it. Blinking her eyes a few time she slowly stood up and realized for the first time, that it was light out. Hugging herself she slowly walked to leave the building to go to command and start another day in the life she didn't know or want.

Time dredged on, and little happened. Max never got her answers about her journal entry from Alec or why she was where she was from the other Alec. Slowly she found herself fall into a routine of habit that seemed to robotic, and slowly she felt herself turning to herself and away from others.

* * *

_Max looked around her, she was in her office in the middle of the day. It was hustling and bustling with life and survival. Looking to left she saw her messy desk, then turned to look to her right at the other desk. There sat Alec with a set of earphones and was listening to some music, unaware of her staring at him. Feeling weird she swallowed before she walked over to Alec and touched him, or attempted to. He didn't move or register her touch which caused to recoil and start to panic. "Hey Alec you busy?" Looking to the door there stood Nadia smiling at the second in command. Taking off his headphones he nodded and motioned her into the office, "what cha up to?" She asked reaching his desk and sitting on the corner._

"_Just trying to make headway, what's up?" Alec asked leaning back into his chair._

"_Just was wondering if you maybe wanted to take a break and...I don't know...go somewhere with me?" She asked with the body language of a flirt with the tone of softness. A deadly combination for a lot of men who thought with their heads and no their brains._

"_Like?"Alec asked not letting on whether or not he understood her insinuation._

"_My place, yours or anywhere in between," Nadia leaned forward to where their noses where almost touching, "if you haven't caught on by now, I want you, very much." Leaning forward she pressed her lips firmly against his while stroking her hands his chest and cupping his head._

"_What the hell!" Max snapped her attention to the door again, there she stood. Pissed. Nadia jumped and looked like a deer caught in head lights while Alec looked like he just wanted to shoot himself._

"_Gotta go!" Nadia scampered out of the office and slammed the door behind. Max watched herself storm of to Alec and start yelling at him. Suddenly she realized what was going on. It was the last day she spent with her Alec, their fight from earlier in the day, before she had found out about the run. She had caught Alec in the office with Nadia and she had been sent off the edge._

"_Could you be anymore of a slut? Seriously! This is my office too!" Max ranted to Alec._

"_First of all, I wasn't doing anything! She kissed me!"_

"_Oh right! Poor victimized you! I can't believe you!" Max seethed stalking out of the office leaving Alec leaning over his desk and rubbing his eyes, looking defeated and down._

"_What I put up with," he muttered before standing up and walking out of the office towards a conference room with his cell in his hand, "Max when you get this message meet me in C-1." He said simply as he walked into the room and laid out some plans and files. 30 minutes later he once again tried to call Max and he was greeted with her voice mail, "drama queen," he groaned slamming the device on the table._

"_Hey Dix, call in Op-team C, would ya?" Alec yelled next door, Dix turned and gave him a thumbs up through the window and started calling in the team requested. "Alright here's the plan, med-bay is low on supplies listed on the sheets you have and we need more clothes for the younger generations, both Freaks and X's. These are the floor plans of the 2 places I want you guys to hit, simultaneously. Get what we need and get out, nothing extra that can we get later." Alec explained to the 10 X5-6's standing around the extended table._

"_When you want to commence?" An X5 named John questioned while taking in the floor plans._

"_Yesterday preferably. Today, 2 hours," Alec replied, "anything else?" No one said anything, "alright set up divide teams. John, Mae your team leaders, when you're ready meet me at Gate 5." Alec finished before walking out of the room. Max followed him as he walked through command doing little things of checking in of things or instructing others to do something. _

* * *

_3 hours later the team returned to with one injured, "what happened?" Alec questioned as the injured operative, Sally, was being carried by John._

"_A guard shot her in the leg, nothing serious," John informed._

"_Ok, take her to med, check in and then everyone meet me for debrief." Sure enough not 10 minutes later the team was back in the conference room and telling Alec everything that had happened on their run. Everything had gone smoothly, everything needed was required, nothing more or less. Max leaned against the wall and watched as he took everything he was told in. when he was about to say something she saw herself storm in and began ordering everyone out of the room and looked at Alec like he was a dead man walking. He walked out with the others, ignoring her. Rushing after herself and Alec Max saw an all to familiar scene._

"_I can't believe you did a run without my consent!" Max raged as Alec continued to ignore her, which only fueled her further into a pit of rage. "You stupid worthless imbecile! I wish I had just let your head explode!" That did it._

"_First of all bitch, you were too busy making mooky eyes at that damned ordinary that your worship! The run needed to be done and since I'm technically 2__nd__ in command, I made the decision! No one got hurt fatally! Second of all, I __**didn't**__ ask you to save my life! You did that and ever since then you've held it over my head, __**literally!**__" Max saw Alec's eyes, that were usually laughing, were blazing in furry and would make anyone wise to back down. Unfortunately Max wasn't and didn't._

"_You are a fuck up, an anomaly!" She retaliated, "you've been nothing but trouble since Manticore! I wish I had never met you or saved your sorry pathetic ass!" Max glared at self as she heard her saying that, she wished she hadn't said that or any of it, but she had._

"_Fine, wish granted," he muttered right in her face, then turned rigidly and walked away from her, while also getting the last word in. still standing in her place, Max watched herself stand there pissed beyond belief and snarling at his retreating form. Max's eyes widened when she realized what was to come next, and sure enough it did._

_But before that thought could go any further a large explosion racked through the already tormented buildings of the Freak Nation. "ATTACK!" Some shouted over screams and shattering metal and rock._

"_IN COMING!" Another voice came out just before another explosion hit another end of T.C. Immediately in defensive mode, Max watched as she started helping her fellow transgenics and getting ready for the raid that was sure to follow._

_Sure enough familiars followed, clearing the protection gates that surrounded the Transgenic city, and once they landed they were met with very pissed off people. The battle began._

_Helplessly Max watched as she fought endlessly, watched as her friends and comrades fought against the snake cult. Turning her attention to where she knew Alec would be she watched and he fought his way from cultist to cultist, never stopping or waiting for them to get a strike in before he could. Looking back at herself she saw herself fall._

* * *

"What the hell?" Max said out loud, she was in her apartment on her couch breathing hard and sweating beads. It had felt so real, as if she had relieved every moment leading up to blacking out. It made think of the real reason she had been pissed that day, Alec with Nadia. Resting her arms on her knees Max thought about what happened before she had walked into hers and Alec's office and saw Nadia there. She was going to talk to him about taking their relationship further, past friends. But her anger had flared and she had jumped to conclusions and ignored what her heart was telling her.

Licking her lips, she crawled out of bed and walked to her miniature bathroom. Why was she sweating so much? Oh shit!

"Heat!"

* * *

_A.N.- Tell me what you think please!  
_

* * *


	7. Remember

**Explosion: Remember**

_

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

_**

* * *

Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.**_

* * *

Max was freaking out, and didn't know what to do. Could she make it outside of T.C. before she got bad or started thinking anything male was attractive? "Shit!Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" She cursed as realized she was in the very early stages of heat. The feeling of skin was starting to crawl, not incessantly but it was there, constant sweat, but no horny dreams...yet. She was screwed. She wasn't sure. Shaking her head she ran her hands through her hair roughly and took a deep breath before walking out of her apartment. Surly she'd be fine for at least today. She was in the early, early stages, so she was more in control…for now. Walking stiffly to her office, Max found herself looking out of the corner of her eye constantly seeing if anyone started to act funny towards, but nothing. Anyone who did acknowledge her walking by just nodded and continued on their way of doing things. It wasn't until she reached her apartment that her nose picked up a smell and it started to drive her crazy, it was everywhere! What was it? It didn't seem familiar…at least she didn't think it was. Was it something to do with being in a different universe? Taking in a deep breath, she walked out of her office and walked around T.C. command in hopes the smell would leave her office and her nose.

No such luck.

Deciding to check on security, Max realized the more she walked in this certain direction, the stronger the smell got. This tapped into her curiosity and she followed her nose, in hopes of finding out what this smell was. It was intoxicating!

"Alec you alright man?" Case asked the silent X5 who seemed in his own world more than he was in T.C. At the mention of his name, Alec's head shot up and stared at the SIC and nodded numbly. He couldn't concentrate today and he didn't know why. He was antsy and spacey and he had no idea why.

"Uh...yeah just a little out of it, what'd you say?" Alec asked shaking his head to try and clear his head.

"I asked if Max was still trying to be your friend? You haven't said much about it lately," Case reiterated looking at his friend with a close eye.

"No, I told her to stop," he replied skittishly, in Case's opinion.

"Did you guys talk about what happened?"

"What?" Case just looked at him with a pointed look.

"Oh, that 'what happened'."

"Yeah that what happened, did you remind her about what happened and how everything went down? She seems to lack memory lately."

"Yeah no kidding," rubbing the back of his head Alec found himself sweating.

"So does she know that you are feeling the heat like she is?" Case asked looking at a file in his hands, knowing that Alec's eyes got wide and shot a look at him. "What? You didn't think I didn't notice or know? You two aren't that smooth and slick, no matter how much you guys think you are." Alec just looked down embarrassed. "Has she mentioned remembering any of this to you?"

"No." Case sighed and shook his head.

"Well if she comes looking for you and doesn't know why, better let her in on the secret before everything becomes even more uncomfortable between you two." With that Case walked out.

Max knew she looked crazy, it was for certain. She was constantly sniffing the air, completely ignoring those around her and walking around with her nose in the air. What the hell was that damned smell! Finally she reached an area where it was over whelming, and she couldn't help but feel giddy with glee. Climbing up the flight of metal stairs like a cat on the prowl she slinked her way down the narrow walk before coming to an open door that the smell was dancing from behind.

Standing in the door way Max was shocked to find a distracted Alec leaning against a desk and staring absently at the ground. "Alec?" At the sound of her voice and his name his head shot up and his eyes grew wide before he slipped on his Manticore mas, making it impossible for her to read him. Which infuriated her and, at the same time, made her skin crawl...in the good way.

"Max." He said simply.

"Wh-what's going on?" She trembled suddenly feeling that rapid, ripping fire slick through her, and that was just from the sound of his Manticore voice.

"You're in heat and I'm trying to work. What can I do for you?" He replied as if was the most obvious thing in the world, which it was but how did he know?

"How'd you know I'm in heat? Why am I here?"

"You walked in here, that's why you-"

"Stop being a smartass! What's going on!" She demanded

"You're in heat and you most likely followed a smell that was intoxicating. What you were, are, smelling is me. The reason you are smelling me specifically is because you came to me during you heat one time and I slept with you." Max's eyes became unnaturally wide while her mouth dropped.

"We..." Suddenly things started to click. "That's why you hate me, that's why we aren't friends. I came to you in heat..." She trailed off. It all made since. "So what happened?" She asked in a small voice, "when?"

"Not very long after Manticore become the main course for a bar-b-q. You were out riding you Ninja and we ran into each other. You asked if I wanted to hang out at your apartment, so we went there. Next thing I know we were ripping our clothes off." Max stared at Alec, "when it was over you made it very clear that it never happened and if I ever mentioned it to you or anyone else you would make my life a living hell. From that day on we didn't talk or associate with each other. At least until you next heat, that time you tracked me down and repeated the cycle of threatening within an inch of my life if I ever told anyone."Max looked down and closed her eyes. "That's why we aren't friends and have nothing to do with each other. And since I really don't feel like doing a repeat, you'll excuse me, I have work to do. You know where the do is." Alec turned his back to her and waited for her to leave before he collapsed in a chair and took in a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Max walked numbly through command and then walked through the run down city, not paying any attention to anything around her. She had fucked up in her universe and fucked up even more in this universe. And she was stuck...and alone. When she finally broke out of her reverie she was in front of the building next to hers, the one where she had "heard Alec playing the piano." walking inside she was greeted with the bleak and dank darkness that was now the building. Her building had been fixed and it's tenants moved back into their respected living areas. Reaching the top level she stood in the middle of the room, where the "piano" had been. Staring at the ground she watched as the shadows danced from the lights outside in the two cities of Terminal and Seattle. Alone.

"So what insightful rhyme do you have for me today?" She asked suddenly.

"Guess I'm losing my gusto of sudden appearance and disappearance aren't I? Knew I should've added the fog effect, add the mysterious to the equation." Alec's voice came from behind her, of course. She didn't look up as he walked up beside her, or swaggered more like. She didn't move her head when he turned to stand in front of her, feet apart, relaxed and thumbs hanging from his front pockets. "What's wrong? Depressed?"

"What do you want? What now? Going to say some little quip and then leave me in confusion and...alone." She trailed off finally looking at him. His face was slightly covered by the dancing shadows that previously held attention. Occasionally his eyes would sparkle before a shadow would dim the sparkle. "Why am I here? Is it to teach me a lesson? I treat my best friend like shit, I get it! What now!" She yelled with a snarl, this just caused a smile to grace Alec's lips, "I'm shitty to you! I get it!" Alec's smile grew.

"I'm not punishing you. You are, a dream come true."

"What?" This caught her off guard, Alec raised his hand and snapped her fingers.

Everything goes black.

* * *

_A.N- Tell me what you think! Please?_


	8. Spooked

**Explosion: Spooked**

_

* * *

_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons._

**_

* * *

_**Summary: After an explosive fight with Alec followed by an attack on Terminal City, Max finds things very different afterwards.

* * *

"She's coming around, get back." A distorted voice broke through the hazy blackness. Soon sparks of light seemed to make their way through too. Slowly cracking her eyes open she saw nothing but a mesh of colors and shapes, much like a stupid painting you'd find in Logan's apartment. "Max? Can you open your eyes?" The voice wasn't as distorted as before, it was becoming clearer with each word. "Max, can you hear me? Come on open your eyes, focus them." Squeezing them shut, Max tried to clear her mind, get her bearings, before opening her eyes. Everything was a messy blur before shapes began to form and those forms became more sharp and clear. The person over her was; it was him. "Max can you talk?"

"Fuck," she groaned as she tried to move her head but pain blinded her.

"Yeah, not a great idea there, you have a serious wound. Once a stretcher is here we're going to take you to infirmary. Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah," she didn't want to say it. She was still there, in the 'other' place. He proved it.

"Okay do you see anyone you don't know?" What kind of question was that? Well considering how 'out of character' she had been the last few days, prolly wanted to check how much more looney she was.

"No, I know everyone," she mumbled closing her eyes to try and tame the pounding in her head.

"Here's the stretcher," a new voice came through her pounding, she knew it but not with a definite familiarity.

"Thanks, alright you two lift her legs from her knees down. You, you help me move her shoulders, and you get her head. Keep it supported and try not to move her at all. Got it? Good. On the count of 3." Max slowly drifted at the sound of the instructions and numbers. 'Mmm, sleep feels so nice right now. Think I'll just drift for a bit.'

"How is she doc?" Alec asked staring through the window.

"She's stable, and the wound is cleaned and stitched. But that's not what you are asking is it?" Dr. Sala quipped watching the young solider stare without blinking. "She scared you didn't she?"

"Truthfully. I didn't know how to react to her. She was saying so weird things. Do you think she is losing it?"

"No, I think the blow to her head caused her to have confusion, which maybe lead to a slight case of hallucinations. To her, they were real. Everything was. You did the right thing."

"Then why do I feel like I abandoned her?"

"You did the right thing, the way she was reacting to you was only going to worsen the wound. Once you were gone from her sight she ended up passing out. Having Case there when she woke up goes along with the hallucinations and confusion, at least until she is well enough to comprehend everything correctly." Dr. Sala explained, "Alec you're holding some things back aren't you? About when you found her." Most wouldn't have seen it, but she did. Dr. Sala saw his slight tense before immediately resuming his original posture of tense, but relaxed.

"She kept telling me she was sorry."

"How is that powerful enough to affect you the way that it is?"

"She was saying sorry for sleeping with me during heat," Sala raised an brow at this, "and things like that. It was weird."

"Have you two ever-"

"No." Alec said quickly, Sala nodded.

"She said something else, and it's really shaken you." She surmised tipping her head to the side, "Alec does it have anything to do with trying to figure out what is going on in her head?"

"No, I don't think so. It was just a jumble of things." Nodding again, Sala moved to walk past the young X5. As passing him she patted his shoulder and continued throughout the ward checking on the wounded. Alec just continued to stare ahead, trying to make sense of Max earlier

_"I'm so sorry, I miss you, I want you; as my friend and so much more."_

* * *

_A.N - I know this is way over due, and short. Sorry. My computer crashed, losing everything I had written to continue this story. Figured this would due till I can really re-write what I had. Hope it's will do for now, and if anyone has ideas I am always open to hearing them. Maybe you'll have a better idea for this story than I do! Anywho please let me know what you think!_


End file.
